Unification Ministry’s Portal Subjected to Attempted Online Assault

During a series of cyber-assaults against corporate and government websites, the most recently attempted online assault targeted South Korea's Unification Ministry although there was no report of damage. Yonhap News Agency reported this on August 8, 2011.

An official named Kim Young-pil at the center for online safety of the ministry said that the hackers, with the help of Chinese Internet Protocol addresses, installed malicious software on the electronic mail account belonging to an assistant of a lawmaker so they could infringe upon the Unification Ministry of Seoul. 'Today' published this on August 10, 2011.

Kim further said that the National Intelligence Service notified of the attempted assault to the ministry. Subsequently, the center for cyber-security directed the assistant for resetting his password alternatively deactivating his e-mail for arresting any further interruption to the ministry's site.

Furthermore the official stated that attempts at infiltrating Unification Ministry's PC-network were constantly occurring though he kept back from elaborating them.

According to him, the most recent effort followed SK's emphasis on an online security scheme across the country that would tackle probable assaults of hackers especially those of NK in an improved manner. In July 2011, SK's defense ministry stated that it had decided for extending its division handling cyber-warfare for fighting an increasing number of online assaults emanating from the North. Moreover, the January 2010-launched cyber-command of the ministry would add 100 more personnel to its existing 500, the ministry added.

Meanwhile, this isn't the first time SK is being attacked. Previously during 2011, the country blamed NK for being behind an online assault, which crippled a prominent bank's network in the region. The North, however, disagreed with the allegation.

Also, during 2011, SK Communications Co., which runs the 3rd-most frequented website of South Korea, suffered a hack into its website that exposed personal data on 35m Web-surfers within a nation with 48m people.

Additionally, SK's capital Seoul has blamed NK's capital Pyongyang for waging cyber assaults against SK's prominent financial institution and government agency websites during July 2009 and March 2011. Pyongyang, however, refutes Seoul's assertions, instead charges it with creating conditions that are escalating tensions.